For a minute there, it seemed like the Philadelphia Flyers might enter an era in which splashy moves rarely happened.
Maybe those days are still largely over, but the past echoes in an eyebrow-raising deal: the Flyers send Nicklas Grossmann and the contract of Chris Pronger (their phrasing) to the Arizona Coyotes for Sam Gagner and a conditional draft pick in 2016 and 2017.
These are believed to be the conditions:
The Flyers also retained some money in the deal:
Flyers retained $500k of Grossman's salary
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 27, 2015
Philly’s side: While the Flyers have been able to stash Pronger’s cap hit on LTIR once the season starts, they’ve been somewhat limited in their moves during each summer thanks to that albatross (not to mention Nicklas Grossmann’s $3 million cap hit). Philadelphia gets an interesting piece in Gagner; it’s easy to forget that the flawed-yet-skilled forward is still just 25.
I hate that the Pronger situation is legal. Just hate it. It's stupid. But I get it too.
— Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) June 27, 2015
Let’s just say a lot of Flyers fans are excited.
Gagner is under contract for WHOOOOOOOOO CARES HOW LONG at DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY
— Kurt (@Kurt_BSH) June 27, 2015
Arizona’s side: The Coyotes can spin Dave Tippett’s approval of Grossman all they’d like, but it’s ultimately about money.
Pronger’s cap hit is $4.94 million, but his salary is just $575K for the next two campaigns. There’s no sense denying how much money this franchise needs to save - at least in the near future - and Pronger’s deal is very helpful in that regard.
Important to note Ariz only adds $500,000 to its hockey budget with Pronger contract. Plan is to still be active in the free agent market.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) June 27, 2015
#Coyotes now have $4.64 million in salary ($9mil cap) locked up in 3 players who won't play for them next season (Pronger, Ribeiro, Yandle).
— Jaime Eisner (@JaimeEisner) June 27, 2015
Trading contracts of retired/injured players is not new. Not even close. Devils dealt Malakhov and first rounder to San Jose in 2006.
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) June 27, 2015